Method of manufacturing an electrical connector

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing an electrical connector in which a sleeve of dielectric material is secured within a metal tube, comprising the steps of inserting a dielectric sleeve of thermo-plastics material into an open ended metal tube having an internal recess, inserting a core member into the dielectric sleeve, axially compressing the dielectric sleeve under heat to mold the dielectric sleeve between the inside surface of the metal tube and the core member, and force dielectric sleeve material into the recess, allowing the dielectric sleeve to set, and removing the core member from within the dielectric sleeve.

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN FLECTRICAL CONNECTOR March 28, 197 H. DESAINT PIERRE Filed Dec. 7, 1970 ll'll'l r Patented Mar. 28, 19723,652,758 METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Henri de SaintPierre, Paris, France, assignor to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.Filed Dec. 7, 1970, Ser. No. 95,746 Int. Cl. 1329c 27/12; H01r 17/08 US.Cl. 264249 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates toa method of manufacturing an electrical connector, particularly acoaxial electrical connector, and to a connector manufactured by themethod.

Known coaxial electrical connectors include an inner contact member,normally in the form of a pin, which is surrounded by a dielectricmember of electrically insulating material, the dielectric memberserving to locate the inner contact member within an outer contactmember which surrounds the dielectric member. The dielectric member isusually secured within the outer contact member, and it is known so tosecure the dielectric member by crimping the outer contact member ontothe dielectric member.

Ditiiculty is presented, particularly with coxial connectors of smallsizes in holding all of the connector parts in appropriate relativepositions during assembly of the connector to a coaxial conductor.Coaxial connectors tend to be bulky in relation to the conductor andalso expensive to manufacture and it is an object of the invention tosimplify the manufacture of an assembly of a dielectric member within ametal tube for use in a coaxial connector and so to facilitate andeconomise in the cost of manufacture and allow easier assembly of theconnector to a coaxial conductor.

According to the present invention, a method of manufacturing anelectrical connector, in which a sleeve of dielectric material issecured within a metal tube, is characterised by the steps of insertinga dielectric sleeve of thermo-plastics material into an open-ended metaltube having an internal recess, inserting a core member into thedielectric sleeve axially compressing the dielectric sleeve under heatto mould the dielectric sleeve between the inside surface of the metaltube and the core member, and force dielectric sleeve material into therecess, allowing the dielectric sleeve to set, and removing the coremember from the assembly.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of an outer contact member for acoaxial electrical connector;

FIG. 2 is a section on the line II--II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section on the line IIIIII of FIG. 2, but with a dielectricsleeve and a core member in position within the outer contact member;and

FIG. 4 is a section on the line IVIV of FIG. 2, but with a dielectricsleeve and an inner contact member in position within the outer contactmember, and a spring member in position around the outer contact member.

The outer contact member shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is in the form of acircular cross-section metal tube 1 of substantially uniform wallthickness, having two integrally formed parts 2 and 3 of mutuallydifferent diameter. The larger diameter part 2 of the tube 1 has aportion of its wall cut away to provide a window 4. The small diameterpart 3 of the tube 1 has a circumferential rib 5 formed in it to providean annular recess 6 within the part 3.

For use of the outer contact member in a coaxial connector, as shown inFIG. 4, the dielectric sleeve 7 of FIGS. 3 and 4 is secured within thetube 1. The circular cross-section sleeve 7 of dielectric material, theouter diameter of which is substantially equal to the inside diameter ofthe part 3 of the tube 1, is slidably inserted into the part 3. Acircular cross-sectional metal core member 8, FIG. 3, is then slidablyinserted into the dielectric sleeve 7, the core 8 having three portions9, 10 and 11 of mutually different diameter. The diameter of the largestdiameter portion 11 of the core 8 is substantially equal to the insidediameter of the part 3 of the tube 1, and this portion 11 provides ashoulder 12 at its junction with the portion 10 of the core 8, whichengages an end face of the dielectric sleeve 7. The intermediate coreportion 10 of intermediate diameter and the end core portion 8 ofsmallest diameter extend within the sleeve 7 and the end portion 8projects from the sleeve end.

A circular cross-section pressure member (FIG. 3) is then inserted intothe part 2 of the metal sleeve 1, the pressure member having a main body13 of a diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of the part2 of the tube 1 and a boss 14 at one end of the body 13, the boss 14having a diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of the part3 of the tube 1. The junction between the parts 13 and 14 of thepressure member forms a shoulder 15 which engages the inner end face 16of the part 3 of the tube 1, the free end of the boss 14 forming a stopwhich serves to position the dielectric sleeve 7 within the tube 1. Anaxial blind bore 17 extends into the pressure member 13, 14 from thefree end of the boss 14, the bore 17 having a diameter slightly greaterthan the diameter of the portion 9 of the core 8 which is slidablyreceived within the bore 17.

The tube 1 containing the dielectric sleeve 7, the core 8 and thepressure member 13, 14 is then positioned within a heating jacket, notshown, and the core 8 and the pressure member 13, 14 urged axiallytowards each other by means not shown. The heat from the heating jacketsoftens the material of the dielectric sleeve 7, and as the core 8 movestoward the pressure member 13, 14 the portion 9 of the core 8 enteringthe bore 17 in the pressure member 13, 14, the dielectric sleeve 7 iscompressed axially and moulded between the inside surface of the part 3of the tube 1 and the core 8. Material of the dielectric sleeve 7 isforced into the annular recess 6 in the part 3 of the tube 1, and theshoulder 15 of the pressure member engages the face 16 of the part 3 ofthe tube 1 precisely to locate the dielectric sleeve axially within thetube 1.

The assembly is then removed from the heating jacket, and the core 8 andpressure member 13, 14 removed from within the tube 1.

The dielectric sleeve 7 remains secured within the tube 1 against axialmovement as a result of the material of the dielectric sleeve 7positioned within the recess 6 and the tight engagement of the sleeve 7within the tube portion 3. The inner surface of the dielectric sleeve 7is profiled by the core member to receive an inner contact member 18,FIG. 4, inserted at the free end of the part 3 of the tube 1. Thecontact member 18 is suitably of tubular form having a leading plugportion extending from a rear wire connecting portion of enlargeddiameter. The leading plug portion extends through the reduced diameterleading end of the sleeve 7, which was formed by the core portion 8, andprojects from the sleeve 7 within the forward tube portion 2. The rearwire connecting portion of member 18 is disposed within the largerdiameter rear end of the sleeve 7 defined by core portion 10 with thetransition between the different portions of the contact member 18engaging a complementary shoulder defined between the different diameterbores of the sleeve 7. In assembling the connector to a coaxialconductor, not shown, the wire connecting portion of contact member 18is secured to a core conductor by crimping and then inserted into thesleeve 7 to the position of FIG. 4. The rear end of the tube portion 3,the right hand end in FIG. 4, is inserted between the dielectric and theouter conductor of the coaxial conductor and suitably secured in knownmanner by a surrounding crimping ferrule not shown.

A spring member 19 (FIG. 4), is secured around the part 3 of the tube 1adjacent the inner end of the part 2 of the tube 1. The member 19 hasthree outwardly directed arms 20 which, in use, serve to secure theconnector in a housing. The arms 20 are angularly spaced by 90, and thecentre one has a further arm 21 extending in line therewith over thewindow 4 in the part 2 of the tube 1. The arm 21 is bent at its free endto form an inwardly extending rib 22 which in use engages a maleterminal inserted into the part 2 of the tube 1, to secure the maleterminal to the tube 1.

Although the invention has been described above in relation to a femalecoaxial electrical connector, it is equally applicable to a male coaxialelectrical connector.

I claim: 1. A method of manufacturing an electrical connector in which asleeve of dielectric material is secured within a metal tube, comprisingthe steps of inserting a dielectrio sleeve of thermo-plastics materialinto an open ended metal tube having an internal recess, inserting acore member into the dielectric sleeve, axially compressing thedielectric sleeve under heat to mould the dielectric sleeve between theinside surface of the metal tube and the core member, and forcedielectric sleeve material into the recess, allowing the dielectricsleeve to set, and removing the core member from within the dielectricsleeve.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the dielectric sleeve iscompressed between a shoulder on the core member intermediate its ends,and a pressure member inserted into the metal tube from the opposite endto and about the core member.

3. A method according to claim 2, in which the dielectric sleeve isprecisely located within the metal tube while being compressed, by ashoulder on the pressure member engaging an internal shoulder of themetal tube.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,968,314 7/1934 Rohde 29-5222,421,105 5/1947 Warren 264249 2,804,679 9/1957 Tracy 29-522 2,059,86711/1936 Hinds 264249 2,135,380 11/1938 Benge Q64262 FOREIGN PATENTS122,320 10/1946 Australia 264262 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner L.I. STAAB, Assistant Examiner V U.S. Cl. X.R.

